By John Keefover of Keefography
Porcupine Mountains
4 Day Backpacking Trip Around Lake of the Clouds.
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Day 1: Lake of the Clouds to ES-1 ~2.5 miles
Late start after driving from Duluth. Matt met me there after driving up from Minneapolis where he got caught up in construction and road closures. Justin was already at the Lake of the Clouds after he’d been camping in the National Forests around Michigan for a few days. Before meeting him we had to stop at the visitor center to pick up our backcountry permit and go over Leave No Trace principals. I also had to get a Michigan Recreation Passport for my car in the parking lot. It gives you access to a lot of other great locations all around the state of Michigan much like the Minnesota State Park Pass does. I got the annual passport for future trips, but daily ones are an option as well.
We started hiking around 5 PM eastern time here in Michigan. Of course we had to stop at the overlook at Lake of the Clouds before hitting the trail. This is our third annual trip here in the Porkies but the first in summer. The first trip was in the winter during a massive blizzard while staying in the LoC cabin for a few days. The second was last fall when it poured the whole time while staying in the Lake Superior Cabin at the Mouth of the Big Carp River. The forecast for this 4 day backpacking loop is also straight rain. Today was absolutely beautiful with blue skies and big fluffy clouds. Everything was so green now in the summertime! The rolling hills around the lake looked absolutely amazing.
Lake of the Clouds from the main overlook.
We left the crowds behind and hit the trail. There were a few people at the junction to the Mirror Lake Trail but after we continued on the Escarpment Trail we didn’t see another person the rest of the night! We followed along this ridge climbing and descending small peaks and rocky outcrops. The views kept on coming! There were so many scenic overlooks above the Upper Carp River valley and looking back at Lake of the Clouds.
A sliver of Lake of the Clouds visible from one of the many overlooks along the Escarpment Trail.
At one of those overlooks I noticed something wasn’t right... I reached for my glasses and realized when I was taking pictures I had left my clip on sunglasses for my prescription glasses on the ledge up at the parking lot overlook... I dropped pack and doubled back to get them. Glad they were still there! Leave No Trace including your dumb sunglasses... Caught back up with the guys and we continued on, stopping at all the vistas along the way. It took us awhile since we were taking photos and drinking whiskey at each and every one. It was a short hike to the campsite so we were fully enjoying ourselves!
Matt at one of the overlooks along the Escarpment Trail.
On one of the cliffs we came across a turtle looking like it was nested down. It was very far from the water source way up here! In fact there’s no water until we reach Cuyahoga Creek tomorrow morning after about 2 miles. So we carried a bunch of water in for drinking and for boiling our dinner, breakfast and coffee in the morning with a little extra to drink while hiking.
A turtle up on the cliffs of the Escarpment Trail.
Soon we got to our campsite at ES-1. It was an incredible spot, possibly one of the most picturesque campsites I’ve stayed at! To our right along this ridge was Lake of the Clouds with the river valley winding all the way down to our left and surrounded by green rolling hills and mountain peaks.
Upper Carp River Valley from ES-1.
We set up our tents and explored the spot a little bit. On our map was a marked vista a little further down the trail so we went to check it out. This was the spot! This had a much less obstructed view all around. We hung out here taking pictures for awhile. We even went back and grabbed our dinners while we waited for the sun to set.
The sun setting casting long shadows and giving off a nice golden glow across the landscape.
We ate and watched the sun affect the changing landscape. The light got warmer and the sideways shadows more exaggerated until all the light was gone and the valley was in shadow. Still the clouds were changing color and drifting over the lake. The thick cloud bank on the horizon snuffed out most of the color we were hoping for but it was still gorgeous.
Sunset over Lake of the Clouds from the overlook near ES-1.
After sunset we returned back to camp to start a little campfire and maybe chase a few mosquitoes away with the smoke. They were annoying but not really bad per se. We were about to start the fire but got distracted when all of a sudden a massive fireball fell straight down the sky directly across from us! It was huge and lasted a good 5 seconds or so! It was still light out too in early blue hour so it was even more impressive that it was that bright! We all saw it and freaked out.
Now that it was around Nautical Twilight I noticed what looked like Noctilucent Clouds off to the right above Lake of The Clouds. It was hard to be sure as we just saw the very edge of them and most of it was hidden behind the peaks and trees we came from earlier. I wonder if they were out again? They were out a few nights ago as well. Noctilucent Clouds appear in the summertime only at Nautical Twilight and typically in the more Northern Latitudes. They are created from ice crystals shimmering in the atmosphere and are pretty rare around here! Turns out when I got back home after the trip I saw photos from fellow photographers who captured them the same night.
Noctilucent Clouds. They were mostly blocked by the trees around Lake of the Clouds.
Justin went to bed, but Matt and I went back to the other overlook to shoot the Waning Gibbous remnants of the Strawberry Supermoon rising over the river valley. Unfortunately my apps time to track the moon rise was still in Central Timezone from Minnesota so we were an hour early... we could see the Milky Way clearly across from us though! It was definitely unexpected as we thought the nearly full moon would wash it out, but it hasn’t risen quite yet. We weren’t even planning on shooting Astro at all this trip with the cloudy, rainy forecast we had. This was a pleasant surprise for sure! This whole trip has been a surprise so far just on this small section of trail.
We took some photos and I was super happy with how my Milky Way image came out! To me that photo made the whole trip worth it already. I took two vertical photos from the same spot at the same time. One exposed for the sky with the Milky Way and green airglow at 20” f/2.8 ISO 6400 and a longer one to pull out shadow detail in the winding river valley below at 5 minutes f/2.8 ISO 3200 Then blended those two together to get this one:
The Milky Way and green airglow soars over the Upper Carp River Valley.
Decided we were too tired to wait for the moon to rise so we headed back to camp. As soon as we got there though we turned around and saw the brilliant red moon rising above the line of the hills across from us! It was amazing! It was very dark by now though and didn’t have enough time to set up a shot so didn’t get a good picture of it. Was still really cool to see in person though!
Today was the perfect start to the trip and now we’re hoping the weather holds off for us some more. We’re prepared for it either way but we also have ~10 miles to hike to camp at Mirror Lake tomorrow. It was around 1 AM now so Matt and I went to bed planning on getting up in just a few hours for sunrise... I set my alarm and told him I’d wake him up if it looks good out there. I caught up in this journal and then passed out.
Day 2: ES-1 to ML-3 ~10 miles
My alarm for sunrise at 5:30 came way too soon. I begrudgingly got out of the tent to go take look. It was a peaceful scene out there, but not enough for me to break out the camera though or to wake Matt up. Instead I just went back to bed... We woke up around 8:30 to make our oatmeal breakfasts and drink coffee while slowly breaking down camp. We’re in no rush on any of these days even though today is our biggest day at around 10 miles.
take less. do more.
The forecast was completely wrong once again. It was a gorgeous day! We soaked in the views for the last time before hitting the trail around 11:30 AM. Made sure to save a little bit of water for the 2 miles or so until we reach our first water source after these peaks. Once we turned onto the Government Peak Trail we followed the Upper Carp River, which we camped above last night, and was now full of pretty little waterfalls and mossy rocks.
On the way to Government Peak Trail.
Finally the river lead us to Trapper Falls. It was a gorgeous waterfall but it had the most harsh direct sunlight on it at the time. That’s alright though we had to eat lunch before taking any pictures! I ended up making a delicious Buffalo Chicken Wrap. Chicken Creations Buffalo Chicken packet on a tortilla with a ranch packet, a relish packet, and some chopped carrots & celery I had brought with. It was amazing for trail food!
After eating and filtering more water a cloud passed over us casting nice even light on the falls. Pictures were taken until the skies started to grow darker. It rained for a little bit, basically until we got all of our rain gear on and then it stopped! Of course. It cleared up again and we continued on our way to Government Peak.
Matt hanging out at Trappers Falls.
This section of trail had a lot of mosquitoes, black flies and ticks. Huge ferns crowded along the trail. Then we climbed the summit of Government Peak a few hundred feet up to the second highest point in the wilderness area next to Summit Peak which was near by. There was an elevation sign of 1850’ as well as a campsite right at the top. No views anywhere though as it’s all grown in. We stopped for a snack break as we sat on the remnants of what looked like an old fire tower foundation.
The last stretch to camp awaited us which was good. We were all a little banged up. My knee has still been acting up a bit since the end of the Isle Royale National Park trip last month. I was actually hiking with a brace on and was pretty happy with how it was holding up. Matt’s knee also started hurting him on this hike. We were taking it pretty easy at a nice pace with plenty of little breaks along the way. One of the breaks had a very photogenic toad.
A toad poses for the camera.
It was around 6 PM when we got to Mirror Lake. ML-1, the first campsite, was right there at the trail juncture, but we’re staying at ML-3 which is down the shoreline to the left. There was no one here or at ML-2 so we had this whole shoreline to ourselves it seemed. They were really spacious sites with tent pads all over and it looked like ML-3 had the best lake access and views!
A view through the trees at ML-3 with smoke from nearby campfires drifting over the lake.
We set up camp and each took turns swimming in the small and shallow beach. It was sandy too which was nice. I took off all my sweaty clothes and skinny dipped in the water. The lake water was absolutely perfect temperature and felt great to soak my feet and rinse my face. Felt so much better after that and eating an edible. When in Michigan right? We started a campfire but pretty much right when it got going it started to rain. It was actually pouring out on the lake but where we were in the canopy of those huge old growth red pines there wasn’t much rain getting through.
Justin’s North Face tent by the campfire at ML-3.
It kept on raining though and eventually we decided to retreat to our tents and cook our dinners in the vestibules. I had PackitGourmet West Texas Chile that absolutely filled me up. Offered to share with those guys and we actually added the rice from Justin’s dinner to make a mega meal. It stopped raining now too. We chilled around the soaked fire for a bit before realizing we were tired and soar and laying down on our sleeping pads sounded great right about now.
Matt reflecting on the passing storm over Mirror Lake.
From my tent I had a nice view of the lake so I could keep my eye on the conditions for sunset coming up. I got a little distracted while writing these notes down though... When I eventually looked up I saw what looked like a purple glow in the sky and quickly grabbed my camera gear. Matt joined me down on the beach but Justin didn’t want to leave his cozy tent. The colors were starting to pop off quite a bit after that passing storm. There were pinks and purples mixed with smoke from surrounding campfires drifting across the lake and creating what looked like fog along the tree tops.
Brilliant sunset colors after a passing storm over Mirror Lake.
There were also people out canoeing along the shore where the Mirror Lake rustic cabins are. When you reserve some of the cabin sites they often come with a canoe for you to use. They’re only for people staying at the cabin which was fine because we were too tired for that anyway. Cabins also have their own outhouses as well whereas everyone staying at campsites has to dig a cat hole to poop. Anyways... The sunset colors lasted for awhile. We took our photos and took it in before going back to bed. Another great day in the books!
Gorgeous sunset from ML-3.
Day 3: ML-3 to BC1 ~7 miles
Slept in although I tossed and turned all night to the sound of light repetitive rain drops. It was around 9:30 AM when I got up and started to catch up on the sunset journaling from last night. The guys were still sleeping too or at least just chilling in their tents. It was still raining occasionally. Time to finally get up and get the bear bags down to make some food. I had a PackitGourmet West Memphis Grits breakfast with a packet of hot sauce to spice it up a bit. To drink I had a Trader Joe’s instant coffee with the coconut creamer in it and I also added a packet of hot chocolate to it for even more flavor. Warmed me up quite a bit on this overcast and breezy morning. By the time we got packed up and ready to go it started to clear up a bit. We had about 3 miles to get to the junction to the Big Carp River Trail. Shortly after that is the BC-6 site and our first actual wet water crossing. We decided to take our shoes and socks off and just enjoy being in the cold river for a bit.
Big Carp River Trail water crossing.
Shortly after that were sites BC-4 and BC-5 where we’re going to stop and have lunch and fill up on water. There’s no accessible water sources after this point until we get to the car tomorrow where I have more in a cooler. I had a peanut butter jelly wrap and a few snacks while drinking a caffeine powder drink mix in my water. A couple of day hikers came up to us asking for directions to get back to Lake of the Clouds. I broke out the map and showed them their route while they took a picture of it on their phone. You always want to have some sort of map with you on trail. Paper and compass is your best option, and offline gps apps on your phone can work as well, but then you need to be cognizant of your battery life. Apps like Gaia, Avenza, AllTrails, and onX Hunt typically have most major trails marked down you can follow along with even on airplane mode without service if you saved them offline.
Right when we were about to leave 2 backpackers showed up who were staying here at this campsite for the night. They had just come from BC-1 last night which is where we’re staying tonight. They said it had amazing views, reminded us to load up on water and to be careful around the cliffs. We headed that way and into a forest that felt completely different than the other areas we’ve been in. There was no underbrush here so everything was brown, dull, and sort of desolate. This old growth forest felt ancient. The trail for the most part had a nice gradual uphill to it that we didn’t even seem to notice. Towards the end of the hike though it climbed one last time to bring us up to the campsites. They were beautiful spots very similar to the Escarpment Trail, but here you couldn’t see the river valley below with the thick green forest hiding it.
The first overlook when climbing up to the Big Carp Trail campsites.
The first two sites were up in the woods off the trail and had alright views, but Lake of the Clouds was a little obstructed by trees. Our site at BC-1 was right ON the cliffs though and had the best view by far! I managed to get what seemed like the best sites we possibly could’ve in this loop and couldn’t be happier. Did a little bit of research going into picking which sites to stay at and which trails to take before reserving them. I ended up pitching my tent right on the cliff face. There was just enough soil there for all of my stakes to go in except for 2 which I anchored with big rocks found in camp. Looking right at Lake of the Clouds it was definitely one of the best views I’ve ever had from a tent!
Once camp was set up we all made dinner. I had the PackitGourmet Burrito which I know from experience makes 4 pretty decent sized burritos. Only had 3 tortillas left so so I decided to split them with the guys since I have extra snacks with just one short day left. After dinner we made some hot chocolate with whiskey in it from my flask, which was the last of the remaining booze. It was perfect just sitting there on the cliffs sipping on that. For the first time this trip we also had neighbors at the nearby sites. There was plenty of room and forest between us though that you could barely hear the family that was over there.
Dinner on the cliffs of BC-1.
Sunset wasn’t for another hour and a half or so. We all were feeling super tired so we went to lay down in our tents. Each of us had a nice view from where we were laying. Going to keep an eye on the conditions outside to go take pictures if we get any color or light. It seems like it’s clearing up a lot more at least. For most of the day we had heard rolling thunder off in the distance but it missed us entirely today after the storm last night. Since we were all set up at camp last night though that didn’t bother us at all. Matt was able to get service and found the weather was forecasted to be clear tonight and tomorrow morning. No more rain!
View from the cliffs at BC-1.
The sun was setting by now, but it was off behind the peaks we had just came from today. It did create a few pastel colored clouds and provided nice subtle lighting. Me and Matt took photos along the cliffs. After the colors subsided we finished off the flask of whiskey around the campfire. The flames were as hypnotizing as the views all around us. Would occasionally just walk away from the fire to go look at the lake.
I brushed my teeth and filtered water for my 1 liter smart water bottle which emptied my 3L bladder I hauled up here. Justin still has some in his bag though and we’re pretty much done with the trip. I tended to the end of the fire and used just enough water to extinguish it. Time for bed now. I set my alarm and once again told Matt I’d wake him for sunrise if it’s good. Hoping so as the sun is rising right next to Lake of the Clouds at 6 AM! When I was getting into the tent I noticed my sleeping pad was deflated. Hoping it was just from sitting on it earlier deflated it and that there’s not a leak in it. I have sadly been finding lots of pieces of broken glass all around this tent pad here so really hope one didn’t puncture my pad... after blowing it back up it seems fine enough and didn’t hear any air escaping. I do have a repair kit with me if so though. A gentle breeze rolling through the valley over our cliffs put me to sleep. I’ll be dreaming of a nice sunrise tomorrow morning!
Day 4: BC-1 to Lake of the Clouds ~1.5 miles
Woke up to the alarm at 5:30. Sunrise wasn’t until just after 6 but often times its most colorful before the sun actually rises. Unfortunately for us there was a pretty thick cloud bank on the horizon above Lake of the Clouds where the sun would be rising. I was more interested in the lingering bits of fog hovering in the river valley below us in the opposite direction. I used my telephoto lens and picked off some close up detail shots of the fog amongst layers of trees sticking out. As the sun started to rise more it burned off what was left of the fog.
We packed up camp and each conserved a little less than a liter of water for the short hike back. Just under 1.5 miles back to the Lake of the Clouds overlook and our cars. There are 2 other marked overlooks along our way though so we’ll see what those have in store for us. Eating blueberries along the way.
Golden Hour glow lighting up our campsite on the cliffs.
We completed our loop around Lake of the Clouds by finishing it off at the main overlook where crowds of people were hanging out. Sure it’s a beautiful view up there, but in my opinion the best views of the lake are along the ridges we were on of the Escarpment and Big Carp River Trail. Overall it was an amazing trip! The rainy weather that was forecasted for the whole trip mostly stayed away and we explored some new parts of this wilderness in a sea of green summer foliage. Can’t wait to get back here for the next adventure!
Lake of the Clouds from the overlook by the Big Carp River Trail.
Trip Report from backpacking the 42 mile long Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Trail. It follows sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs along Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.